🔗 Share this article

No fewer than 27 people have been killed in intense clashes between Hamas security forces and fighters of the Dughmush tribe in Gaza City, marking a particularly severe intra-Palestinian conflicts since the conclusion of extensive Israeli campaigns in the enclave.

Masked Hamas fighters engaged in shooting with family militants near the city's Jordanian hospital, according to local sources.

Authority Report

A high-ranking officer in the interior ministry under Hamas stated that security forces blockaded them and engaged in heavy fighting to apprehend them. The ministry reported that eight its members were fatally wounded in "an armed assault by a armed group".

Healthcare officials confirmed that 19 Dughmush tribe militants and eight Hamas militants had been killed since violence erupted on Saturday.

On-the-Ground Testimonies

Local residents reported that the clashes erupted in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood in southern Gaza City after a Hamas force of over 300 militants advanced to attack a housing complex where Dughmush gunmen were entrenched.

Civilians described frightening moments as numerous households fled their homes under sustained firearm exchanges, with numerous individuals having been forced to move frequently during the conflict.

"On this occasion people weren't fleeing Israeli offensives," a local inhabitant stated. "They were fleeing from members of their community."

Existing Conflict

The Dughmush tribe, among Gaza's notable families, has consistently experienced a conflictual dynamic with Hamas, and its fighter elements have clashed with the group on numerous times in the earlier periods.

The Hamas-run interior ministry said its units were working to reinstate stability, warning that "all militant actions outside the framework of the Palestinian resistance" would be addressed decisively.

Opposing Narratives

The two parties leveled charges over who was responsible for instigating the violence.

The organization earlier said that Dughmush militants eliminated two of its militants and hurt five others, resulting in the movement to initiate an action against them.

In contrast, a source from the Dughmush family told local media that Hamas fighters had approached a facility that once served as the Jordanian medical center, where the family had found sanctuary after their residences in the al-Sabra neighbourhood were destroyed in the latest Israeli offensive.

The insider claimed that the authority attempted to remove the clan from the premises to set up a fresh headquarters for its units there.

Broader Context

Hamas has reactivated approximately 7,000 personnel of its armed forces to reinforce authority over areas of Gaza previously evacuated by Israeli troops, according to local sources.

Information indicates that Hamas militant squads have already deployed across several districts, with certain members in plain attire and others in the blue gear of the Gaza law enforcement. The Hamas communication department denied that it was positioning militants in public areas.